Our Story and People

Hey! I’m Isaac. I created Wilderness Union because I wanted to make the magic of the outdoors accessible to more people.

I came to Toronto from England as a newcomer and discovering Ontario’s wilderness on my first backcountry trip restored a sense of wonder that I’d lost living in the city. You're Wild, you're meant to be outside and if you're not careful, civilization will tame you.

Getting out there can be difficult. You need transport, you need to know where to go, what gear to bring and find good adventure buddies to come with you.

The outdoors became my escape during the pandemic lockdowns and I was forced to figure out solutions to these problems. I’d plan a different adventure each weekend and soon a growing group of friends would tag along. These trips transformed a difficult time into the highlight of our weeks.

I returned to my career on Bay Street each Monday and became obsessed with the idea of making the benefits of wilderness exploration accessible to more people. I developed a vision - we’d figure out the transport, organize the kind of adventures people hadn’t seen before and create a whole community around it.

I left my job shortly after and have dedicated my time to this mission ever since. A year later, so many more have joined us and I’ve never been more confident about the need for Wilderness Union to exist.

We've adopted the words “One Wild and Precious Life” as an unofficial motto. It’s a line from the Mary Oliver poem, The Summer Day. It’s a rumination on awe in the face of nature, it’s the reason our van is named Grasshopper and it encapsulates why we do this. Getting into nature reminds us that we have just one wild, precious life and this is how we choose to make the most of it.

In our first year, we’ve had so many incredible experiences and the most extraordinary community has emerged. So many of our members have had the same revelation I did, falling in love with the wild and creating some of their closest friendships along the way. The community is constantly evolving as members contribute their own skills and passions, leading to the launch of our member-led clubs and activities.

Now, our mission has grown to help you connect with the outdoors wherever you are on your journey - whether you’re just getting started or have learned enough to be heading out on your own. I hope you'll join us!